Rotary snap electric switch.



c. G. PERKINS. ROTARY SNAP ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29 1907. RENEWED NOV. 14, 1908.

908,694. PatentedJan. 5, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. PERKINS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROW ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY SNAP ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1907, Serial No. 386,982

'Patented Jan. {5, 1909.

Renewed November 14, 1908. Serial No. 462,690.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful ltotatory Snap Electric Switch, of

which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in rotatory snap electric switches which are provided with means for indicating the position of the movable contacts and the condition of the electric circuits in which the switches are connected.

The object of the invention is to provide such a switch with an indicating means which is simple to construct, easy to apply and which instantly indicates the condition of the circuit in a very satisfactory and plain manner.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings shows a plan of a rotatory snap electric switch which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same switch with the cover, insulating lining for the cover and the indicating means cut in central sections; Fig. 3 shows a plan of the base of the switch with the stationary contacts omitted. Fig. 4 shows a view of the inside of the cover of the switch. Fig: 5 shows a plan of the indicating disk and shutter. Fig. 6 shows a reverse plan of the indicating disk and shutter. Fig. 7 shows a section of the disk and shutter. Fig. 8 shows a section of the shutter and lining connected in a different manner. Fig. 9 shows aplan of the lining and an indicat ing dial arranged according to this invention.

The base 1- of the switch is preferably formed of a circular block of porcelain or other suitable insulating material. The actuatin spring 2 is mounted upon the spindle 3 which is provided with the usual turn button or handle 4. The locking and releasing mechanism can be of any common construction and as it forms no part of the present invention it is not illustrated. As the handle is turned the spring is made tense and when the lockingv mechanism is released the s ring throws the movable contact'pl'ate-5, which is loosely mounted upon but insulated from the posts 6, in the usual way. The cover 7 is preferably formed of sheet metal, and inside ofthe cover is an insulating lining 8 which is usually formed of insulating fiber or paper.

The indicating means preferably consists of a thin disk 9 of white paper and an oblong shutter 10 of black sheet metal which is free to move around on the surface of the light disk. It is preferred to fasten the shutter to a washer 11 by means of eyelet-studs 12' that are struck up out of the washer. The shutter and the washer connected in this manner loosely hold the disk and the shutter together but permit the shutter to be turned in front of the disk. Of course the disk could be black and the shutterwhite if desired. The eyelet -studs which are employed to connect the washer and the shutter are arran ed so that the osts which carry the mova'b e contacts wilFproject through the eyelets, and as the movable contacts are thrown these posts will turn the shutter with them.

In the face of the cover is an observation openin 13. .As the handle is turned and the movab e contacts and shutter are thrown, the spaceback of this opening alternately ap ears light and dark, that is, if the shutter is ack of the opening the space shows dark and indicates that the circuit is open, but if the shutter is not back of the opening the space shows White and indicates that the circuit is closed and lights are burning. This of course is the action if the shutter is black and the disk is white. and the shutter is white, the reverse is true, that is, when the shutter is back of the opening the space shows white and when the s ut ter is not back of the opening the space shows dark. This form of indicatin means is drop ed into the cover and then t e insulating ining is placed in position. The lining not only insulates the cover but retains the disk and shutter inposition. W'hen the cover is applied to the base it is turneduntil the posts which support the movable contacts will pass through the openings in the studs which hold the disk and shutter together, then the handle is screwed upon the spindle in the usual manner so as to hold the cover in lace.

if desired the shutter canbe loosely attached directly tothe linin instead of to a separate disk, .asshown in ig. 8, in which case theouter face of the linin would be of a contrasting color to that of t e shutter, for instance, the outer face of the lining may be black, and the shutter white, or the outer face of the lining could be white and the shutter black, sothat as the shutter was turned with the movable contacts, the space back of the opening through the'cover would alter- If the disk is blacknately show li shutter 14 may be laid in a recess in the linin 15 andheld in place by eyelet-studs 16 which are struck up from a washer 17.

As shown in Fig. 9, instead of emplo "ng a shutterwhich is the referred form, at ial 18 lettered Off and On or with similar indications. can be used, and this dial may be of a movable contact, posts holding the mov' able contact, a cover with an indicating opening, an insulating lining for the cover, and a shutter of contrasting color having openings adapted to receive the posts and to be moved therewith between the lining and the cover inside of the opening, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the actuating mechanism of a rotatory snap electric switch of a movable contact, posts supporting the movable contact, a cover with an indicating opening, an insulating lining for the cover, a disk. arranged between the lining and "the cover, and a shutter of a color contrasting ght and dark; Inthis case the com with that of the disk, provided with openings for receiving'the posts and movable outside of the .disk and inside oi the cover so as to cause the space back of the opening'through the cover to'alternately appear light and dark,substantially as specified.

3. .The combination with the actuating mechanism of a rotatory snap electric switch of a movable contact, posts supporting the movable contact, a cover with an indicating opening, arr-insulating lining for the cover,

and an indicating means provided with'o enand a shutter movable outside of the disk and inside of the cover, said disk and shutter being of contrasting color, and said shutter having openings for receiving the means which cause it I to move, substantially as specified.

CHARLES G. PERKINS. Witnesses: HARRY R.'WILLIAMS, LENA C. BERRY. 

